Four years ago, before the Russian tanks thundered toward Kyiv, Russian gas was still flowing freely to Germany and the rest of Europe. In Russian cities such as Kaluga, factories producing European vehicles were fully operational; Russian oligarchs were enjoying the good life in their mansions across the continent; and President Vladimir Putin was meddling in European politics as if stirring a pot of borscht.

In those days, the European Union was Russia’s largest trading partner. Trade turnover was based on Russian exports of energy sources and raw materials, as well as on imports of European equipment, cars, medicines, and chemical products. In 2021, the EU met a significant portion of its energy needs from Russia, with Germany and the Netherlands serving as the main trading partners.

Since the Russian president ordered the invasion — in an attempt to subdue Ukraine, establish facts on the ground, and become the hegemon on the continent — Europe, left with no other choice, decided to sever itself from Russia. The results have been disastrous for Moscow.

The question of belonging to Europe or alienation from it has always stood at the center of Russia’s philosophical and historical discourse, both in the era of the tsars and in the 21st century. Putin chose to settle this debate with the start of his broad campaign in Ukraine, when he decided to rely on Asia instead of Europe.

However, his new partners, China and India, did not rush to invest in the Russian economy as the Europeans did. They bought Russian energy products at rock-bottom prices and sold Russia new cars, but they did not build factories there, nor did they show any interest in rehabilitating or developing the Russian economy.

The two Asian powers have no intention of giving up European or American markets for Russia’s sake; both look down on Russia as a little sister.

Ultimately, the Russian market today is flooded with Chinese goods (which are not necessarily cheap), but Chinese investors are not flocking to Moscow. At the same time, India has significantly reduced its purchases of Russian oil under pressure from US President Donald Trump (with the surplus oil being sold instead to........

© The Times of Israel